How to Write a Song – Study the Masters

If you want to learn how to write a song, do what all great songwriters do: Study great songs! If you want to be a master songwriter, you must learn from the masters.

If you’ve been writing songs for a while, it’s very likely are doing something right. When you write regularly, you tend to get a feel for it. You develop an instinct for what is catchy, memorable and engaging. But you can take it a lot further than that.

Think of a craftsman, say, someone who is good with wood. He may have a natural ability to carve or construct things from wood. If he does it all the time he’s going to get really good at it.

Now, if that same person studied woodworking as an apprentice, imagine how much faster he will learn his craft. By studying with the masters, he will learn shortcuts and techniques that might take him years longer on his own.

It’s the same with songwriting.

By studying the techniques of hit songwriters, you learn what works and what doesn’t. You learn how to write songs. You learn how to write songs that resonate with people on a deep level. That doesn’t mean you have to give up your natural style, or change who you are.

It simply means you learn better ways to present your unique ideas.

By studying song form you can learn to better express those ideas which are unique to you. You learn to build a better vehicle to take your song ideas where you want them to go. So how do we study hit songs?

Listen to the radio! Listen to the radio with a critical ear. Listen closely and ask yourself a series of questions:

1. Why does this song appeal to me?

2. What is it about the chorus that I find so irresistible?

3. What emotion/s does the melody evoke?

4. Why do the lyrics speak to me?

Keep on asking yourself these questions. Keep digging deeper for more answers. There can be many reasons why a song is so appealing. Find and analyse the reasons why it appeals to you.

Realise also, the importance of rewriting. If you settle for the first draft, you’ll never find out how good your song can really be. That’s what all great songwriters have done and continue to do.

It’s an ongoing process. You never stop learning. So don’t ever think you’re done!